For several decades, it has been well documented that chronic noise stress at all levels greater than 90 dBA is damaging to the hearing. However, at the present time clear proof of the extra aural noise effects which would be of importance with chronic stressing is not available. A study was recently conducted of occupational noise exposure and the epidemiology of high blood pressure (B/P). The population consisted of 196 male hourly workers from a noise exposed (greater than or equal to 89 dBA) plant and 169 from a less noise exposed plant. Exams consisted of ht, wt, pulse, B/P and audiometric testing. Body mass index, alcohol intake, and family history of hypertension were comparable for the two groups. There was no difference in either systolic or diastolic B/P between the exposed and less exposed plant. There was, however, a strong relationship between severe noise induced hearing loss (SNIHL, defined as greater than 65 dB loss at 3, 4, or 6K Hz), B/P and hypertension particularly in the older age group after adjusting for several key variables. The results suggest that SNIHL and B/P levels are associated and both may be due to long term noise exposure among susceptible individuals. An alternate hypothesis may be that in the older worker, noise exposure in addition to the aging process may lead to poor speech discrimination, discomfort to loud sounds, etc. such that it may result in reduced social interaction and interference in lifestyle. This increased stress on and off the job may affect blood pressure levels. The specific aims of the present study are: 1) further validation of our previous noise and blood pressure study by its replication in a group of men 55-64 who have long histories of occupational noise exposure (N=300) to determine the relationship between SNIHL and blood pressure, 2) to carry out further more detailed characterization of the a diometric profile of these men to include air and bone conduction, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination score, presbycusis adj. factor and 3) develop and administer an index of social interaction and lifestyle interference to determine if reduced ability to communicate and hear might be a confounding variable which needs to be controlled for in noise-induced hearing loss and blood pressure studies.